


When the Night has Come

by Dionte



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Comfort/Angst, F/M, Mentions of Blood, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 13:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6807523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dionte/pseuds/Dionte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a long day of training, accusing voices inside his head slip into his dreams and Zelos seeks his little angel to find a sanctuary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Night has Come

This place was hell. And not in a metaphorical sense. A large snake’s tale swept under him, Zelos barely jumping in time to dodge it. He brought his sword down on the Medusa, relieved when the demon finally disintegrated. He turned his attention to the monster Lloyd was attacking and approached the twin swordsman.

 

“Hey, fearless leader, how are our supplies?”

 

Lloyd rose a sword to guard, thinking quickly. “Uh, we’re out of life bottles. Running low on gels too.”

 

Zelos swung at Lloyd’s attacker, exhausted. “Lloyd, we’ve gotta-”

 

“Professor!” Colette’s voice called, panicking.

 

The two fighters looked back, only able to watch as the half-elf fell. Colette threw a chakram, quickly moving to attack and avenge the professor.

 

“We’ve gotta leave, Lloyd.” He finished.

 

All Zelos heard in reply was a soft thump as the monster they had been fighting pierced through Lloyd’s defenses.

 

“Ah, fu-”

 

The skeleton’s sword clashed against his own. Thankfully, it was only this guy left, but without the Professor any other encounters before they could get the hell outta here would be dangerous. He would have to get Sheena to cast a seal on the Professor or something. He glanced back to Colette. Her health seemed okay for now, and she was just casting an angelic spell.

 

Wait.

 

“-floweth purely, ever unwavering.”

 

That wasn’t just a normal angelic skill. They didn’t need that to make it through this battle.

 

“Colette, wait!”

 

“Accept my soul into thine embrace.”

 

He felt a solid hit knocking his world black. Ah, dammit.

 

“Sacrifice!”

 

Before he could hit the ground, he felt warmth suffusing the area, healing his injuries. The demon crumbled with one last hit from the now risen Lloyd, and Zelos ran to the unconscious figure of Colette.

 

“Colette!”

 

He looked over to the professor, who was already sitting by their fallen comrade. “Get Sheena. I don’t have enough energy for a resurrection spell right now.”

 

Lloyd’s voice quickly cut in. “I’ll get her!”

 

The ninja quickly revived the angel, and Raine further used first aid. When Colette’s eyes opened, Zelos managed to smile widely at her.

 

“Hey, my little angel. You scared us there!”

 

The blonde was obviously still exhausted. “Sorry Zelos.”

 

“Alright everyone,” Lloyd began, ”we’re going to take the next chance to get out of here we can. Until then, Sheena, Regal, and the Professor will be fighting; Genis, I want you to keep your eyes out for an escape torch, and Presea, please protect Colette and Zelos.”

 

The group snapped into action, Zelos picking up Colette as the little lumberjack stood by them. They moved quickly, and he felt incredibly relieved when Genis finally yelled his success at finding an exit. When they arrived back in Sybak, Zelos took a deep breath, finally letting go of the other Chosen.

 

His exhaustion followed him from Niflheim, and he excused himself from the others, choosing instead to collapse into his bed as soon as he could.

 

It was cold.

 

Zelos opened his eyes and saw white, only feeling resignation. This again? He looked around the landscape, wondering where it was this time. Confusion began to fill his mind when he found nothing.

 

“Where-?”

 

A collapsed figure in the snow caught his attention. A shimmer of golden hair made it his worst fear.

 

“H-hey, Colette?!”

 

He ran towards her, tripping in the deep snow. When he finally reached her, he tried to gently scoop the angel into his arms. As soon as he touched her, blood began to spread across the snow.

 

“Hold on Colette, I’ve got you.”

 

He tried to cast a healing spell, but his mind couldn’t remember the incantations. He sat in an expanding puddle of the crimson liquid, and felt fear slipping deep into his heart. He looked desperately at the other Chosen, cursing. Her eyes were were open. The spark of life they normally held were gone.

 

“Colette?”

 

“Zelos, why?” She whispered.

 

“Such a pathetic Chosen.” Seles’s voice murmured.

 

“Why won’t you save me?”

 

A hand caressed his cheek, pulling his eyes away from the Chosen dying in his arms. He eyes met the cold eyes of his mother.

 

“You should never have been born.”

 

The words made him shake. “I should have been Chosen.” Seles muttered.

 

He closed his eyes and shook his head. Wake up.

 

“Zelos, help me...”

 

He clutched Colette tighter as his mother’s and Seles’s voices grew louder.

 

“Worthless.”

 

“If only you hadn’t been born.”

 

“Traitor.”

 

“Nobody will ever care about you.”

 

“Zelos… Why...?”

 

Colette’s body went limp in his arms, and the accusing voices of the group began speaking alongside his mother and Seles. He could feel their searing gazes, and refused to open his eyes and look up.

 

It’s just a dream.

 

The voices grew to roars. Traitor. Worthless. Foolish. Despicable. Unworthy of any form of affection. The body in his arms faded, and he covered his ears uselessly.

 

“Stop it.” He hissed. They didn’t. He began chanting it like a good luck charm.

 

Colette’s soft voice cut through the accusations. “Why would you let me die?”

 

“STOP IT!” Zelos yelled at the voices, and finally opened his eyes.

 

The ceiling of the campus cottage greeted him. The room was dark, and his roommates didn’t stir. He took a deep breath and rose from the bed, shaking. It was just a dream. He was an adult, nightmares shouldn’t affect him this much anymore.

 

He stealthily walked to the bathroom, stripping down and rinsing off the cold sweat. Slightly refreshed but unable to sleep, he snuck out, silently searching for a particular room. He was relieved to find Colette in a room by herself and approached the bed, sitting on the edge. He shouldn’t be here, but… Zelos dragged a hand down the side of his face. He needed to feel her warmth. To forget the feeling of her cold and dying against him. He shakingly reached towards her, gently shifting her hair behind her ear.

 

His hand grazed her face and he sighed in relief at the warmth of her face.

 

She was alive.

 

Thank whatever being was greater than Martel.

 

“... Zelos...?”

 

He looked at her drowsily opened eyes.

 

“Hey, Colette. How’re you feeling?” He asked softly.

 

She sat up sleepily, cocking her head cluelessly towards him

 

“I’m good. Tired, I guess.”

 

Zelos nodded, refusing to move from her comforting presence. They sat in silence, Colette growing more awake by the minute.

 

“U-um… Why are you here, Zelos?”

 

He paused. “Oh, you know. You really worried me with that stunt you pulled in Niflheim today.” He tried to grin at her, but it felt weak.

 

She immediately grew suspicious. He turned away.

 

“... Are you shaking?”

 

Shit. She had good eyesight.

 

He could hear the worry creeping into her voice. “Zelos, are you alright?”

 

He tried to open his mouth, to brush her off, but no words came out. The blankets rustled, and he felt her hand land on top of his.

 

“Zelos, what happened?”

 

“N-Nothing. Just a nightmare, y’know?” His voice cracked.

 

Colette’s hand gripped his tighter. She was quiet for a moment, before her voice weakly began, “I have nightmares too.” He glanced at her, and she continued. “Ones where everyone is blaming me for what happened. Where Mithos takes Genis, and you lose your soul. Or…” Her voice wilted. “Where everyone is dead.”

 

She gave a halfhearted smile. He tried to return it.

 

Colette looked ahead, then leaned against him. “So, I guess… I’m really happy that you’re alive.”

 

Zelos froze.

 

The blonde stiffened, straightening herself at Zelos’s unexpected reaction. She curiously leaned to look at his face.

 

“Zelos…?”

 

He turned his wide eyes to her. Something seemed to click for her and she gasped, letting go of his hand and reaching her arms to embrace him. He couldn’t move as her arms wrapped around his neck, her head slotting itself by his own.

 

“However many times you need,” she mumbled, then louder, “I’ll say it however many times you need.”

 

She took a deep breath. “I’m so, so happy that Zelos is alive.”

 

He began to shake in her tender embrace, as her sweet voice drowned out the voices from his dreams.

 

“You’re brave, and smart.” He could hear her smile. “I’m happy that you are alive, and I got to meet you. You saved me.” Her voice broke, and she nestled her face into his hair to whisper, “I’m so glad that you were born.”

 

He moved, arms acting of their own accord, pulling her as close as he could, soaking in her light. Her hand found the back of his head, and stroked his hair there as he shook. She said nothing when he let his tears roll onto her shoulder, only quietly- encouragingly- embracing him.

 

When he felt raw from emotion, she guided him to lay down and remained in his arms, shifting herself to run her hands through his red curls as he fell asleep.

 

He could have worshipped her when he rose the next morning, seeing sunlight shining on her golden locks, the girl herself relaxed and unaware of her charms. He reached towards her face, wanting to press his lips to her temple, her cheeks, to everything, before hesitating and clenching his fist.

 

The end of this journey was going to break his heart.

**Author's Note:**

> It's amazing how a single line at the end can change everything, right? This pairing, while it is very much my favorite, sometimes hurts me, simply because I can't see Zelos taking advantage or anything of Colette. At least not during the first game's timeline. (Admittedly, it probably wouldn't be healthy at that point either.) But, augh. Zelos respecting Colette and genuinely caring about her because she is just like him but so different is a thing. And him resisting his own desires for her- because of her- is also a thing. There are so many things- subtle nuances- about this pair, which is why I like them so much.


End file.
